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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505136">Give Me a Miracle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelmedigeekfics/pseuds/marvelmedigeekfics'>marvelmedigeekfics</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gun Violence, Violence, gun shot wounds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:41:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,649</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelmedigeekfics/pseuds/marvelmedigeekfics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If I was writing 3.14, this is what it would look like.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Maddie Buckley, Evan “Buck” Buckley &amp; Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maddie was no match for an assault rifle. She hung up the phone, telling Howie she loved him in those words for the first time. But she looked around. Josh is more panicked than she is. Oh. Shit. Linda and a few others are crying, and that’s met with nothing more a few hisses of “Shut up!” There is nothing they can do. How ironic that 9-1-1 can’t call 9-1-1.</p>
<p>“This is how this is going to work. Listen up! You are under us now. There is no way out. And if you don’t listen, you know what’s coming.” He pauses and grins, mad with power.</p>
<p>“You are hostages now. This is gonna be fun.”</p>
<p>A few minutes later, the entire floor has their hands tied. Literally. Maddie sneaks a glance over to Josh, who is stone faced. The bruising looks like it went back to the original night. Sue is calm, she always is. But behind her eyes is something she never shows: anger. Most of the dispatchers look like Sue does: ready to fight. The others look terrified.</p>
<p>‘Is this for ransom? Why isn’t there anyone here?’ Maddie thinks to herself. ‘This is a hostage situation. They can’t directly engage.’ She reasons with herself. There’s no sense in spinning out.</p>
<p>The mood is tense. And silent. No one talks. No one even breathes. And no one moves. The officers, are they even real?, walk around a little, watching for direction from Foster, as he introduced himself earlier. Somebody yells something, Maddie doesn’t catch what, but then she hears the gun fire. Maddie hates that sound, but she hates more the fact that she can’t help. That’s why she’s here and now she can’t even do that.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>The news is up loud at Station 118. But it’s nothing interesting. The whole team is relaxing after a little bit of a miracle on their last call. Miracles don’t happen that often in real life, which makes them all the sweeter. They haven’t had a second to breathe since the shift started, so they each are savoring the down time. But it’s LA, and nothing boring ever last for long.</p>
<p>“This just in, there are reports of gunshots at this 9-1-1 call center. Police scanners indicate a hostage situation.” The newscaster says.</p>
<p>Chim drops the bowl he was holding. All eyes are glued to the screen. “We are being told the hostage situation is occurring at Dispatch Center 3.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Shit.” Eddie says.</p>
<p>“Maddie.” Buck and Chim say at the same time.</p>
<p>The two have completely different reactions. Buck’s is to run to the scene, but he is tackled by Eddie before he can make it to the stairs. Chim, on the other hand, stares at the screen and then at his phone.</p>
<p>“Maddie.” They both say at the same time from opposite ends of the room.</p>
<p>“No, you cannot go to an active hostage situation, Buck. Good call with the tackle.” Bobby says.</p>
<p>“But..” Buck says from the floor, his arm still held by Eddie, who looks madder than Buck does somehow.</p>
<p>“No.” Bobby’s voice is concrete and everybody knows, he isn’t budging.</p>
<p>“Bobby is right, Buck. We have to have a little faith.” Chim says, his voice watery but firm.</p>
<p>Buck shakes out of Eddie’s grip to hug Chim. “I’ll have a little more faith once my sister is safe.” Buck makes a mad dash for the stairs once he lets go of Chim. But he is blocked by Eddie again.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to tackle you again, but I will if I have to.” What Eddie lacks in inches on Buck, he makes up for in sheer willpower. Who is more stubborn of the two has never been figured out.</p>
<p>“But, Maddie she’s…” Buck begins.</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>Maddie breathes a little easier once she hears the sirens. They weren’t going to die alone, at least. Someone knows they are here. It is even more tense in here when Foster is right behind Josh. Maddie had had time to think and knew why Josh dropped the coffee on his foot this morning. Foster was awful date guy. It took all of her willpower to not get up and die beating the shit out the man who thought he could hurt her best friend and get away with it. She seethed with rage just thinking about it. Maddie wasn’t sure how hostage situations typically worked, but she was sure that they were going to be hostages for a while longer. Foster’s radio kept chirping and he would whisper into it. Maddie couldn’t catch anything. Maybe this would be the time to focus on visual skills rather than the listening ones. She counts everyone she can see. 59. She knew most of their names, but some were unfamiliar. She makes a mental to note to know everyone by name when this was over. It breaks her heart to think that some of the casualties could be people she couldn’t even name.</p>
<p>She knows Jamal, and Josh, and the very subtle flirting she sees. It reminds her of her brother and Eddie. It would be a shame if they never admitted that they were indeed flirting with each other. What would be more a shame was if they did, and Maddie wasn’t around to see it. She couldn’t go doing this already. It hadn’t been very long, she thought but she couldn’t exactly check her phone or turn around to look at the giant clock behind her. She could squint and see the tiny analog one. The shape, anyway.</p>
<p>Her thoughts about the time were broken, when she notices the way Foster was looking at Josh. She could hit him with a roundhouse so fast, he wouldn’t even… that was a terrible plan.</p>
<p>She flinches when she hears the unmistakable sound of a slap. “Go to hell.” It was a mistake to not cover Josh’s mouth if you didn’t want him to speak the truth. Another slap. It stings Maddie too. “No.” Another. Maddie winces. Loudly.</p>
<p>“Do you feel sorry for him?” His slap to Maddie hurt less than the one delivered to Josh. She felt the difference. This was personal.</p>
<p>“No.” She snarls. “He doesn’t need me to feel sorry for him. Because he is one of the strongest and best people I know.”</p>
<p>“I should shoot you, for talking back.”</p>
<p>“Do it. At least I’d die defending my best friend. You’ll die a murderer.”</p>
<p>The gun fires off and Maddie sees the sting before she feels it. Lower leg. She feels hit and break her fibula and she bites her lip to keep from screaming. But she says this to Foster as he walks away. “I don’t regret a thing.”</p>
<p>Josh was staring at her, debating something in his head. Maddie had experience with visual reading, but it still wasn’t as good as her listening. Foster was back, and Josh turned his face stony again. But she could see the twinkle in his eyes. He had a plan.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>The entire 118 crew had been watching the news. The ransom was finally up, 12 million for the release of Dispatch Center 3. Chim hadn’t moved for 3 hours, except for the one call they had that afternoon. He kept replaying Maddie’s last words to him. “I love you, Howie.” Over and over again.</p>
<p>“Chim. Chim.” Hen is sitting in front of him.</p>
<p>“Hi, Hen. How are you?”</p>
<p>“How are you, Howard?” She says his name with a bite, but Chim doesnt even flinch.</p>
<p>“I am fine. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to restock the truck.” He stands up and descends the stairs.</p>
<p>“You let him go down their alone, but not me?” Buck whines.</p>
<p>“He’s not going to run off to an active hostage situation.” Bobby replies.</p>
<p>“Then why did he finally move after 3 hours? I think you should keep an eye on him.” Buck questions.</p>
<p>“Chim?” Eddie calls down to the ground floor. No answer. “Chim?” Someone’s tires squeal.</p>
<p>“Damn it, Chim!” Buck and Eddie race down the stairs.</p>
<p>“I’ll clear it with the Chief!” Bobby calls after them.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>Eddie drives. Chim is right in front of them. Buck is shaking in the seat next to him. “Your sister is okay. I am sure of it.” Eddie doesn’t take his eyes off of the road as he comforts his best friend.</p>
<p>“Yeah, she’s a badass under pressure.” Buck’s voice is soft and patchy. He’s been crying, or trying not to.</p>
<p>“She is. When we get there, promise you’ll be smart. Don’t run into the fire.”</p>
<p>“She’s my sister. I’d run into fire forever to save her. I’d do anything to keep her safe.”</p>
<p>Eddie and Buck pull up next to Chim, who is sprinting toward the building. Eddie has to tackle another team mate, but Buck seeing his chance, runs to the building.</p>
<p>“You tackled the wrong guy, Diaz.” Chim says, coughing a little.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Chim. You okay?” Eddie asks, while Buck gets tackled by a cop and herded into hostage jail. Ironic.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, Eddie. Just worried about her.”</p>
<p>“How’d your love confession go?”</p>
<p>“Good. Ended with a crush injury and a hotel room.”</p>
<p>“That’s great! Wait, crush injury?”</p>
<p>“Yep. Oh, and a proposal.”</p>
<p>“Umm… What?”</p>
<p>“Not me, not her. The couple that had the crush injury also had the proposal.”</p>
<p>“Not bad.”</p>
<p>“I suppose we should go check on Buck.”</p>
<p>The two walked over to a sulking Buck. “Don’t say I told you so.” Buck says sullenly.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t planning on it.” Eddie replies.</p>
<p>“Heard anything?” Chim asks, listening to the scanner and Buck at the same time.</p>
<p>“They didn’t tell me anything, except you can’t go past this line.” Buck pouts, but his hearts in the right place.</p>
<p>“We have to do this now.” One of the officers says into her radio. “Operation take back dispatch. Let’s go.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was nothing they could do. Sitting ducks. Chim was a wreck, and Buck was silent. Eddie was pacing. SWAT had been here for a while already and everyone was growing restless.</p>
<p>“I need to be in there.” Buck, Eddie and Chim all say at the same time.</p>
<p>“No.” Athena says, coming up behind them. “Buck, I don’t want to arrest you. Eddie, Chim, I trust you.”</p>
<p>Eddie does the “I guess” eyebrow dance thing. Buck scoffs. Chim sighs.</p>
<p>“Just get them out. Please.” Chim’s voice is resigned.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Josh’s eyes haven’t stopped twinkling. Maddie’s leg hasn’t stopped bleeding. The bullet didn’t have a exit wound so she’s just bleeding internally. Oh. Shit. There’s been more shots. People are getting restless. Maddie keeps hearing things about the ransom going wrong. She wonders what Buck is going to do without her. He’s grown up, but to her, he’s still a little kid.</p>
<p>She looks over at Josh, who isn’t scared anymore. He’s angry now. He rips the tape, slowly. Foster hears it and within 5 seconds has his gun into Josh’s chest. “Do it. Kill me.” Josh challenges. “If you wanted me dead, you would have done it already.” Josh may be crying a little, but he doesn’t lose confidence. He was done being afraid, and there was nothing that made Maddie more proud of him.</p>
<p>“Don’t threaten me. I have all the power here. You have none. You’re not a dispatcher now, just a helpless, helpless bitch.” Foster drives the gun in closer to Josh’s ribs. One wrong move, and Josh is dead.</p>
<p>“What is your problem with me?” Josh can barely breathe but he spits the words out anyway. It matters why.</p>
<p>“You decided that my sister wasn’t worth enough, that she deserved to die alone. I saw the logs. Someone hung up on my baby sister, and it was 9-1-1. So I decided a little reckoning was going to come to the dispatchers of Los Angeles. And here we are.” Foster’s face turns to a grin and he fires.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>When Buck looks at his phone, he has 6 missed calls. 3 from Bobby, 1 from Hen and 2 from Carla. He just ignores them.</p>
<p>Eddie is the only one watching SWAT go in. Chimney is a wreck and Buck is silent.</p>
<p>“I need to be in there.” Buck, Eddie and Chim all say at the same time.</p>
<p>“No.” Athena says, coming up behind them. “I trust you guys. Don’t make me regret it.”</p>
<p>“Yes, ma’am.” Buck looks like it takes all of his strength to say anything. He looks worse than he did while being crushed by a fire truck.</p>
<p>“Buck, she’s gonna be okay.” Athena says. “They all are.”</p>
<p>“Athena’s right.” Hen pipes up. “And I see that idea forming, Buckaroo, your sister needs you to be alive more than risking your life for her.”</p>
<p>“She’d do it for me.” Buck replies.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>Maddie tastes blood from biting her tongue so hard. She doesn’t even stop when the gun fired. She anticipates hearing Josh fall to the floor, but she doesn’t. “Maddie.” Josh gasps out.</p>
<p>“Josh! You’re okay.” Maddie cries.</p>
<p>“Yeah. I’m good.” He rips her pants open to reveal a giant bleeding mess. He grabs the cardigan from Maddie’s desk and rips it into strips.</p>
<p>“I loved that cardigan.”</p>
<p>“Life or ripped up cardigan? Too late for making the wrong choice.” One strip gets tied around the bottom of her knee and a few more get wrapped around the rapidly bleeding wound.</p>
<p>More shots ring out. As Josh turns to see them, Maddie catches sight of a blood red stain on the back of his arm. “I got it.” He grabs a strip and ties it off around his arm. “I’m okay, Maddie.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Josh. I know this is hard for you.”</p>
<p>“It’s a hostage situation, Maddie, of course it’s hard.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” She chuckles.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Maddie. For standing up for me.”</p>
<p>“Keep your hands where we can see them!!!” Someone yells.</p>
<p>“Thank God.” Maddie sighs, ripping her bonds off. “Josh? Josh?” He is slumped against her legs, not moving. Not talking.</p>
<p>In two moves, Maddie is working on Josh. She grabs the strips and rips his shirt open. She ties a makeshift tourniquet around his shoulder. She doesn’t notice the flurry of movement, or Foster evading the real officers.</p>
<p>“Josh. Josh. I’m here. Open your eyes. Come on.” Maddie ignores the pain in her leg to focus on Josh, who is turning painfully pale.</p>
<p>“Maddie…?” He groans, his eyes fluttering rapidly.</p>
<p>“I’m here, Josh. Stay here with me.”</p>
<p>“Maddie…? I…love…” His eyes close and Maddie’s cries echo through the whole building.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>When Buck, Chim, Hen and Eddie make it to them, both Maddie and Josh are unconscious.</p>
<p>“Maddie!” Buck screams, collapsing to Maddie’s side. Chim and Hen jump in to save them both. Eddie is the only who doesn’t stay with them. He is moving away from the hurt.</p>
<p>“Anybody here?” He calls out in the empty hallway. He listens and hears a quiet groan of pain.</p>
<p>“LAFD, anybody here?” He calls again.</p>
<p>“In…here!” Someone croaks out, almost crying it.</p>
<p>Eddie runs to where he heard the cry. He sees a pair of legs and runs in. “Hey, hey, hey, I’m here. Are you hurt?”</p>
<p>“My chest.” Sure enough, redness bleeds through his shirt. Eddie turns the man over, looking for an exit wound. There isn’t one. “Can you feel your legs, sir?”</p>
<p>“I think so.” His Babinski reflex is normal.</p>
<p>“Good. You’re good. No spinal injury. In a few seconds, a few Kleenex’s are shoved into the mans bullet hole, just to the right of his sternum. Eddie’s worried about a collapsed lung. He moves around and maneuvers to drag him out.</p>
<p>By the time he gets out to the main room, Maddie and Josh and Buck are gone. Chim and Hen are working on other people. “GSW to the medial right chest. Vitals stable.” Eddie drops him off next to the gurney. He sees someone across the room. He recognizes an enemy opperative when he sees one. “Good here?”</p>
<p>“Yes, sir.” Eddie sprints off, fire in his eyes. He ignores Hen calling his name and tunnels his eyes to the man. The real cops notice both men and run after them.</p>
<p>“You did this.” Eddie closes the gap between them. His voice is pure fire. “And you won’t get away with it.”</p>
<p>“Diaz, stand down!” Someone calls behind him. “Don’t be a hero!”</p>
<p>Nothing cuts through the fog in his brain, and without a second thought, he’s tackling and wrestling the gun out of this man’s hands.</p>
<p>He doesn’t think for a second, until he hears the gun fire. He wasn’t fast enough, and for his failure, his side spilts in a fiery cloud of pain. Another shot and the world goes black.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>Eddie didn’t come back when Maddie was taken to the hospital. Buck never had to worry about him, but that didn’t stop him from doing it. Worrying about Eddie distracted Buck from worrying about his sister. She had been in surgery for an hour, and Buck was a wreck. Chim was silent. </p>
<p>“Hey Chim.” Buck moved to put his arm around his almost brother.</p>
<p>“Hey, Buck.” Chim looked at the blond with tears in his eyes.</p>
<p>“She’s gonna be okay, man.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Yeah. I just wish I could see her.” Chim sighed, rubbing his eyes with the butt of his hand.</p>
<p>The doctor appeared in the doorway of the waiting room. “Evan Buckley?” He said, to which Buck waved.</p>
<p>“Maddie is out of surgery. Which went fine, she’s gonna be okay. You can go visit her within the hour.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, doctor.” Chim and Buck said at the same time.</p>
<p>When he is gone, Chim and Buck hug and cheer. “She’s okay!”</p>
<p>They hugged for a minute, just grateful that Maddie was okay. “Is…Maddie…okay?” Someone groaned out.</p>
<p>“Eddie? Yeah. She’s okay.” Buck replied, smiling so hard his cheeks must hurt.</p>
<p>“That’s…great.” Eddie almost fell into the chair behind him.</p>
<p>“Are you okay, man?” Chim asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Umm, peach…peachy.”</p>
<p>Chim and Buck’s eyes traveled to the growing stain under Eddie’s shirt. His eyes fluttered rapidly and he looked white as a ghost.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Not that.” Chim jumped into action, Buck right behind him.</p>
<p>“You’re okay, Eddie. Everything is gonna be seriously peachy. Just stay awake.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maddie is fine. Josh is fine. Eddie is fine. Everyone’s fine. If by fine you mean alive, or course. But you mean something else, awake or talking, or good, they aren’t.</p><p>Chim sits next to Maddie, holding her hand while she rests. When she is resting, she doesn’t cry in pain. She doesn’t moan or beg to see the xrays. She is good when she is asleep.</p><p>Sue sits next to Josh, watching him sleep peacefully for once in a blue moon. He deserves the rest, because sue knows he hasn’t slept well since his disaster of a date. He is good when he is asleep.</p><p>Carla sits next to Eddie. She was the first person Buck called, because Buck couldn’t sit next to his best friend right now. So Carla took his place and sat vigil at Eddie’s bedside. He deserved some rest. He isn’t carrying a world of burdens when he sleeps. He is good when he is asleep.</p><p>As soon as all the people Buck cared about were sleeping in their rooms, he went to pick up Chris.</p><p>“Hey, buddy, Mrs. Diaz.” Buck says once he pulled up to Eddie’s abuelas house.</p><p>“Buck!” Christopher squeals.</p><p>“Hola, Evan.” Mrs. Diaz has tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face.</p><p>Buck bends down to look into Chris’ eyes as he tells him his father is in the hospital. Both of them tear up a little.</p><p>“Can I see him?” Chris asks.</p><p>Buck looks to Mrs. Diaz, silently asking permission. She nods at him and Buck nods to Chris.</p><p>“I can give you a ride, Mrs. Diaz, if you want.”</p><p>“No, Evan, I can’t ask you to do that.” She replies.</p><p>“It’s not a problem. Really.”</p><p>She finally relents and a few minutes later, the three of them are situated in Bucks Jeep.</p><p>—</p><p>Maddie opens her eyes to see Chim looking off into space. “Howie.” she whispers. Chim’s eyes move slowly from the spot on the wall to her face. He smiles at her. His eyes hold the faintest sign of tears. </p><p>“Maddie?” he whispers back, reaching a hand to cup her cheek. The love in his eyes, his touch, is evident. Maddie savors the quietness of this moment. It is finally quiet again. There is no yelling, or crying, or moaning. It’s okay. She made it. </p><p>“How is everyone? Josh?” Maddie asks quietly, almost afraid to hear the answer. </p><p>“Josh is alive. He’s okay.” Chim replies. </p><p>“Sue? Linda? Jamal? Terry?” </p><p>“Sue is with Josh. Linda is okay. Jamal and Terry are in medically induced comas.” Chim is careful about how he breaks this news. He doesn’t want to hurt her. </p><p>Maddie’s face visibly falls and a few rogue tears fall down her cheeks. Chim softly wipes them away. “I need to see them,” she says, her voice the slightest bit wobbly.</p><p>“I know. Tomorrow.”</p><p>Maddie doesn’t protest.</p><p>--</p><p>Josh’s eyes fly open. “What happened?” And then he remembers. His hand reaches for his shoulder unconsciously.</p><p>“You were in an accident, Josh. You were shot.” Nothing about Sue says she would ever sugarcoat the truth. </p><p>“How is Maddie?” </p><p>“She’s okay. Josh-” </p><p>“Thank God, she’s okay. How is everyone else? Are they-” Josh’s voice trails off when he sees Sue’s expression. Her face falls and so does Josh’s. </p><p>“There were 6 casualties. 4 people are in medically induced comas. Josh-”</p><p>“Who?” When Josh says it, it doesn’t even sound like a question. He doesn’t even listen to Sue’s answer. Until he hears her say Jamal. </p><p>“No.” His voice is barely audible and tears begin to pour down his cheeks. Sue hands him a tissue and he wipes at his tears haphazardly. </p><p>“You can see him tomorrow.” Sue says. </p><p>“I don’t want to see him until the funeral.” Josh replies simply, still sniffling. </p><p>“He’s not dead, Josh.”</p><p>“He’s- what?” he looks Sue in the eye.</p><p>“He’s not dead, Josh. They’re going to try and bring him out of his coma in a few days.”</p><p>“He’s alive. He’s alive.” Josh repeats, slowly making himself believe it. </p><p>--</p><p>Buck pulls into a parking spot, and tries to be stoic. 3 of the people he cares about most are in the hospital. He is stoic when Isabel and Christopher check in. He is stoic when they ride the elevator to the 3rd floor. He is stoic as the three of them walk down the hallway. He is stoic when he walks by the rooms of hurting family members. Is this how the 118 felt when he was in the hospital? </p><p>“I’m going to check on my sister, I’ll meet you guys at his room.” Buck says, stopping just before the doorway of Maddie’s room. The two Diazs nod and walk further down the hall. Buck steels himself to see his sister. He doesn’t know how she’ll be. </p><p>“Hi, Maddie.” Maddie smiles at him and so does Chim. </p><p>“Buck!” He crosses the room to hug his sister. </p><p>“You’re okay.”</p><p>“Yeah. I am. How’s Eddie?” </p><p>“I haven’t seen him yet. I wanted to give his abuela and Chris a little alone time with him. And I wanted to see you first.” </p><p>Maddie nods slowly, knowingly. Chim knows too. “Go see him.” </p><p>Buck nods, hesitant to leave his sister. “I got her, Buck.” Chim says, when Buck makes no move to leave. </p><p>“I know. Thank you.” Buck smiles slightly. His sister is fine. She has Chim. She is okay. And he has no clue about his best friend. </p><p>--</p><p>The hallway is silent, the only sounds faint clicks and beeps of machines. Mrs. Diaz and Chris are asleep, and Buck thinks Eddie is too. </p><p>“Hey, Buck.” Eddie whispers, but Buck hears it loud and clear.</p><p>“You’re okay.” Buck says, walking into the room.</p><p>“Peachy.” Buck gives him a worried look. “I’m fine.” </p><p>“Is this how you felt when I was in the hospital?”</p><p>“You’ll have to be more specific.” Eddie winces as he shifts to look at his best friend. </p><p>Buck chuckles quietly and Eddie smiles. </p><p>“I’m really happy that you’re okay.” </p><p>Eddie doesn’t reply, just looks over at his abuela and his son. “Thank you for bringing them.”</p><p>“They’re your family.” Buck shrugs it off. The two of them sit together in light silence. There’s no stifling urge to talk. They are fine, sitting here. They are going to be okay. </p><p>--</p><p>“I have someone who could use a little company, Chris.” Buck says to his little buddy. </p><p>“Who, Buck?” Chris replies as they walk down the hall. Buck stops him at the doorway of one of the rooms. It is empty, except for it’s patient. </p><p>“Hey, Josh.”</p><p>“Buck? What are you doing here?” </p><p>“Maddie asked me to check on you, and I thought I’d bring you a little cheering up. This is Chris.” </p><p>“Hi, Chris. I’m Josh.” </p><p>“Hi, Josh.” Chris crosses the room, with Buck right on his heels. </p><p>As the three of them sit together, the tension, the anxiety, the hurt, melt from Josh, from Buck. Christopher makes everything better. Everything is okay. </p><p>--</p><p>“Bobby?” </p><p>“Hi, Eddie. How are you feeling?”</p><p>“Honestly, I feel good.” </p><p>“What did the doctor say?”</p><p>“He said I’m lucky the bullet didn’t hit anything.” </p><p>Bobby nods, not taking his eyes from Eddie’s. “You are very lucky.” </p><p>“Dad!” Christopher calls from the door. </p><p>“Hey, buddy!” Eddie’s face erupts into a grin and Bobby smiles too. The love between father and son is contagious. They are lucky to have each other, and Eddie knows it most of all. </p><p>--</p><p>Maddie went to visit Josh bright and early. Her doctor and Chimney both gave clearance, though the latter was harder to convince.</p><p>“Hey, Josh.” Maddie wheels herself next to Josh’s bed.</p><p>“Hey, Maddie. How’s your leg?” </p><p>“Numb, honestly. How’s your shoulder?”</p><p>“The opposite of numb. But I can still feel it, which is a plus.”</p><p>Maddie laughs, taking Josh’s hand in hers. </p><p>“Who is this?” Josh says, waiting for Maddie to introduce the man he has deduced is Howie “Chimney” Han. </p><p>“This is my boyfriend, Howie. Howie, this is Josh.” Maddie smiles at two of the men she cares for the most. </p><p>“I would shake your hand, but you know.” Josh gestures to his right arm.</p><p>Chimney chuckles in reply. </p><p>“So, how are you holding up?” Josh and Maddie say at the same time.</p><p>“It’s a little...weird. But it’s going to be weirder when we go back.” Maddie answers first.</p><p>“Yeah. No kidding. It’s hard to comprehend, really.”</p><p>“Have you talked to the police yet?” Maddie questions gently.</p><p>“No. Sue told me they’re going to be questioning us later today and tomorrow.”</p><p>“Are you going to tell them?”</p><p>“Should I? He’s already going to jail. I don’t know whether it would do any good to press charges.”</p><p>“I can’t answer that for you, Josh. But whatever you decide, I’ll be there.” </p><p>“Thank you, Maddie.” They embrace, being careful of Josh’s incapacitated arm and shoulder. </p><p>--</p><p>“Are you sure you all can go home?” Buck asks worriedly.</p><p>“Buck! We’ve all been cleared to go home.” Maddie answers for the trio Buck was asking: herself, Josh and Eddie. </p><p>“Are you sure sure?” </p><p>Everyone sighs in mock esasperation, and Buck finally relents on his worried Dad persona. </p><p>Chim takes Maddie back to her apartment, so he can spoonfeed her soup or watch bad reality television or whatever cheesy romantic things they do. Eddie’s tia is taking the Diaz boys home, and Josh has Linda riding the bus with him. Buck is going home alone, the first time in a few days where he doesn’t have to be worried about going back to the hospital. </p><p>They all made it. For better or for worse, they made it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this was so hard for me to right, seriously it took so long. BUT it is done. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my take on 3.14! I wrote a few more scenes for this, but I will post those soon and link them. I would’ve posted them with this, but I felt like I was dragging on. I can’t write long fics to save my life.</p><p>Okay I’m done. Cheers:)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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